[PhotoChick]

Ah. See I can eat a potato as a main part of my meal - although I try to do it at a noon meal, rather than the evening. Potatoes are sooo full of nutrients - not just potassium, but vitamin c, vitamin b6, calcium, protein, iron, etc. - that calorie for calorie, they're much better for you than a lot of other "sides" you could eat.

And for me they're filling keep me feeling full - rather than leaving me hungry later.

So for me, a medium baked potato topped with a scoop of chili, or some broccoli and cheese, or some taco meat and salsa is a really good, nutritious, low calorie lunch. You can even top it with non-fat plain (not vanilla) yogurt or cottage cheese or other yummy low-fat/low-cal options.

I just hate to see potatoes dismissed out-of-hand as having "too many calories" or being nothing more than starchy carbs, because that's not true. The biggest problem that most people have with potatoes is the butter, sour cream, cheese etc. that's put on the baked variety and the fried or scalloped styles that they might be served in otherwise.

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[aphil]

I agree. I think that potatoes have gotten a bad rap, because so many people eat them fried, mashed with butter and milk, or baked and dowsed in butter or sour cream.

I often eat them like you do-with something on top of them as a main dish. They are wonderful covered in steamed broccoli with a little melted reduced fat cheese over the top.

[nelie]

My favorite way to eat potatoes lately is topped with garlic, onions and pepper. Mmmm soo soo good. I am on a crusade for the potato myself. Somehow it got lumped in the same group as refined carbs such as white bread and pasta.

The potato is awesome

[aphil]

Yes-unfortunately with the recent low carb craze, LOTS of healthy carbohydrates have suffered the same fate. I say, moderation. Potatoes, oats, the carbohydrates in fruits and vegetables-all of these things are very healthy.

I am a firm believer that it is the TYPE of carbs that are bad...not carbs. The same thing with proteins and fats. Not all fats are bad-the fats in nuts and fish are awesome for the body.

I am on a potato crusade with you.

[PhotoChick]

Potato lovers unite!

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[DaniSpies]

I agree with aphil...carrots are probably not where the extra weight is coming from. I would say to honestly assess your diet, if a carrot is the worst thing you are eating, then maybe you want to cut back on them...chances are, it's not the carrots.
I once went to a weight watchers meeting and someone asked the same question about bananas...the WW leaders response was, "Let's face it, we're not all sitting here because we eat too many bananas". I thought that was funny...SO TRUE!